Comment by cmeiklejohn | Hacker News Reader

Comment by cmeiklejohn | Hacker News Reader

I've just submitted my application.

I've got an undergraduate degree from Northeastern University in "Information Technology" and an associate's degree from the Community College of Rhode Island in "Computer Programming." I did both of these degrees almost completely online, part-time, working a full-time job to pay my tuition. Getting enrolled into a master's program for me has been a huge challenge. Many universities do not want to talk to you unless: a.) you've demonstrated independent research, and, b.) you have an undergraduate degree in computer science.

I'm currently a non-degree seeking student at Brown University. This has only been possible because I work a job where I can shift my hours around to attend courses during the day. When initially trying to obtain "non-degree" status, my previous education wasn't even part of the discussion, my experience as an Erlang engineer working in the distributed systems field was.

I find the online master's degree idea extremely compelling. I want to keep learning, but I don't want to drop everything to go back and do a master's degree. I imagine this is the case for many people who simply can't quit their job because they have other financial obligations, or a more restrictive work schedule.

You've had that difficult of a time going for a CS masters? What schools have you looked into?

I ask because I'm considering the same thing, but I find it surprising that you can't find anywhere that will take you without an undergrad in CS given that you have work experience, especially given that your degree is in IT, which is very related.

Around 7 years ago I looked into a grad program in CS with a bachelors in mathematics. I talked with graduate advisors from both my state university and Brown. Their requirements were similar: 4-5 undergraduate courses in comp. sci. and subject specific GRE. I believe the courses they listed were data structures and algorithms, computer architecture, programming language design, operating systems, and software engineering.

I think they've relaxed requirements a little but it's still not easy getting into comp. sci. from another field.

About work experience, the Brown advisor said that, for them, it's a mixed bag. A person from industry knows how to produce an application but there may be large gaps in knowledge. For example, a developer can go a long way using ArrayList in Java but not know a thing about it or alternatives, especially if code generators are involved.

Is studying in the UK an option for any of you guys? Many prestigious UK universities offer so-called conversion degrees for people with a non-traditional background. You should be able to produce a solid academic track record and some familiarity with the field, though. For those with a CS background there are many specialized MSc degrees, like Computer Graphics or Machine Learning.

A good example is University College London: http://www.cs.ucl.ac.uk/admissions/msc_computer_science/

The so-called generalist programs are for non-CS majors, while the specialist programs are for people with a CS or related background. Degrees in the natural sciences commonly involve introductory programming courses, so those may be a good fit.

Thanks for the reply. It looks like a great program.

Unfortunately, my wife would have a hard time finding work in her field and my daughter loves her school and friends too much. I'd feel awful asking them to make the sacrifice.

is there similar conversion degrees for other courses or is it pretty much always non-IT to an IT masters?

I have an undergraduate degree in history and was provisionally admitted to an engineering MS at NC State based solely on work experience. After receiving good grades the first semester the provisional part was lifted and I successfully completed the program. Getting to know the program/department directors and the online/distance admissions folks MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com